Thursday, March 03, 2011

A Decision Left Unexplained

Any person who makes a decision they can’t adequately and sufficiently explain is apt to find themselves in an unenviable, if not untenable, position.

Ron Wellman made such a decision last April when he fired Dino Gaudio coming off Gaudio’s second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. The basis he gave for cashiering a coach who had won 61 and lost 31 in three seasons was the failure of Gaudio’s teams in late-season and post-season play.

The explanation might have flown if Wellman hadn’t turned around and hired a coach in Jeff Bzdelik with scant post-season success on his resume.

Time and again I’ve asked Wellman to square the two decisions and I’ve yet to hear him do it. He acknowledges that he’s going on a hunch. Given what he knows about Bzdelik, Wellman is confident that in time the Deacons will be more successful in post-season than they were under Gaudio.

Here’s the real bottom-line reason Dino Gaudio is no longer the head basketball coach at Wake Forest. Ron Wellman—and most likely some very generous and influential boosters around Wellman—didn’t want him to be. When Wellman saw Gaudio, he didn’t see the man he wanted to be the face and mainspring of the Deacons’ basketball program. As for why Wellman felt that way, he declines to say.

In some ways it’s right and commendable that Wellman won’t trash Gaudio publicly. To do so might earn some points with his fan base, but it would be cheap and probably wouldn’t accomplish much in the long run. And when I finally got a chance to talk with Gaudio a few weeks back, he also declined to say anything about Wellman or his departure from Wake. Both men have chosen to take the highest road available.

So why, 10 months later, do I even bring up Gaudio and his departure from the program?

The first reason is that the questions lingering from Gaudio’s dismissal, and the way it came down, have been a thread woven throughout the narrative of a long, trying season, the likes of which I hope to never have to go through again. I firmly believe at least some of the criticism directed toward Bzdelik is a byproduct of the confusion and even rancor stemming from Wellman’s inability to adequately and sufficiently explain why he’s the head coach in the first place. If Gaudio’s record had been 31-61, the answer would have been obvious enough that Bzdelik might have gotten more consideration and support from the first day he took over. But it wasn’t 31-61. It was 61-31.

The second reason is to reply to criticism of my coverage of the coaching change. I hasten to mention that I appreciate all comments, positive or negative. If I had my choice between a Peanut Gallery 100 percent in favor of everything I write or one comprised of a certain element ready, willing and able to give me the business from time to time, I’ll choose the latter. The former would be too thick with conformity, if not adulation, and my bride has a hard enough time living with me as is. But there are some of you in the Peanut Gallery—most notably my friend Tony C—who have given me a pretty good working over for not telling ``the real story,’’ about why Gaudio is no longer Wake’s head coach. Tony C said it’s proof that real sports journalism is dead in Winston-Salem. I understand the frustration, and as pointed out above, recognize where it comes from.

Well, the truth is I could go out today and find a dozen people connected with Wake who would tell my why they think Gaudio was let go. But it would all be off the record. They’d be more than willing, if not anxious, for me to write a story about all of Gaudio’s shortcomings as a head coach. But they wouldn’t attach their name to their opinion, and I would have no real way of knowing if what they were telling me was true. And even if those accounts were indeed true, how do we know those were the reasons Gaudio is no longer the Deacons’ head coach? The two men who do know the story, Wellman and Gaudio, aren’t talking.

I’ve seen in my time as a sportswriter where one party in a dispute will wage a whisper campaign against the other in order to strengthen their position. I vowed long ago not to be a party of any such unscrupulous tactics. And it needs to be mentioned, and commended, that no one from Wake (and no one from those who know and support Gaudio) have asked me to. Good for them for that.

If the phone were to ring this moment and Wellman were on the line telling me, on the record, exactly why he made his decision to change coaches then I’d have it up on Journalnow.com as fast as I could – but not until I got in touch with Gaudio to give him a chance to respond.

Until then we’ll all continue to wonder. Such is the case when a decision is made by one who can’t or won’t adequately and sufficiently explain that decision.

Tuesday, March 01, 2011

Kurt Vonnegut, Rico Cavatinni and Me

There’s a minor character in one of my all-time favorite books, Slaughterhouse Five by the incomparable Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., who had this line I keep thinking of in times such as these.

Vonnegut identifies the character only as a 40-year-old former hobo, and no matter the indignities and hardships Billy Pilgrim and the other POW’s suffer at the hands of their German captors, the guy kept saying `‘You think this is bad? This ain’t bad.” As Vonnegut would have to have it, those proved to be his dying words.

Bad might be covering a college basketball team that has won two games since Christmas, that is one loss away from setting the school record and two losses away from becoming the first team in ACC history to finish 1-15 in league play. But I know at least one guy who has it worse.

His name is David Zucchino, but his closest friends from back in the daze call him Rico Cavatinni. And besides playing a mean game of Cozmik Croquet, Rico has spent his professional career as a foreign correspondent—mostly with the Philadelphia Inquirer but for the past 10 or so years with the Los Angeles Times. When I ask him how many times he’s been to Afghanistan, he has to stop and add them up. I believe it’s around a dozen by now.

In a recent edition of the L.A. Times, Rico had a byline Libyan Rebels Brace for Attack  from Port Brega, Libya, which, if you’ve been following current Middle East events will know as one of the strategic points under rebel control in Eastern Libya that the forces still loyal to that wacky madcap dictator Moammar Kadafi are trying to recapture. When we exchanged emails earlier today, he was in Benghazi, another happening place. He said not to worry, that the locals love journalists, especially those from America, and that he hasn’t had to pay for a kabob yet.

So between being in Benghazi, Libya or in Joel Coliseum Thursday night to cover Wake Forest and Georgia Tech, I’ll take Joel Coliseum. But if you ask me the same question come the middle of the second half, I might actually have to think about it. At least Rico is getting free food —something not too many sportswriters can say in these days of rampant austerity.

You think this is bad? This ain’t bad.

Monday, February 28, 2011

The Place to Be

The proceedings have just started and I can count around 60 or 65 members of the general public who have accepted Coach Jeff Bzdelik’s invitation to watch him put the Deacons through their paces today at Joel Coliseum. I recognize a few as being Wake employees and a family member of two. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the numbers swell toward triple figures by the time we’re done.

Oops, just lost two. A little one was getting fussy, so his mother led him up the aisle by the hand.

Bzdelik walked over before beginning, was he is wont to do, and mentioned he was putting in a set today he learned from Jerry Sloan. They’re walking through it now, against no defense. After this, strength coach Todd Hedrick and basketball trainer Greg Collins will conduct the obligatory strength and condition drills to loosen the players up, and then practice will begin in earnest. I’m expecting a long scrimmage today.

The next game’s not until Thursday, at home against Georgia Tech, so I don’t imagine Bzdelik will turn his sights to the Yellow Jackets until tomorrow.

I don’t see Ron Wellman, the Deacons’ AD who often drops by for practices.

UPDATE: It’s going on 5 now and the numbers who have shown up for practice are holding pretty steady. I don’t think we ever got to 100, but we weren’t far off at the peak. So far no scrimmaging. Mostly the Deacons have been working on defensive drills. One reason people may be hanging around is there’s a pretty heavy storm passing through Winston. As I look through the doors of the concourse it looks like it’s already 7 p.m.

Coach Bzdelik walked over to tell several of us that practice tomorrow will be at 7:30 a.m. because he’s going recruiting tomorrow night. He said he’s going to a prison in Virginia because one of the inmates is soon getting out. I’m pretty sure he was kidding but it reminded me of one of my favorite quotes of all time, courtesy of Jerry Wainwright, the former assistant at Wake before he took over as head coach at UNC Wilmington, Richmond and DePaul.

Wainwright’s great line was that the only two places he wanted to recruit are penetentiaries and orphanages—penetentriaries because there are no alumni and orphanages because there are no parents.
Coaching can breed cynicism, especially in someone as sardonic by nature as Jerry.

And Ron Wellman has shown up, at a little after 5. He’s in suit and tie, so my guess is he just got out of a meeting.

FINAL UPDATE: It’s 5:50 and the Deacons have just wrapped up pracitce, which ended with a bang. The first team scrimmaged the second for five minutes, which got pretty loud and animated. I’d be anxious to hear the reaction to the day from any of the Peanut Gallery that made it by.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

The Rigors of a Long, Exhausting Season

C.J. Harris looked like the horse who had been ridden hard and put up wet by the end of today’s 63-49 loss at Clemson.

But he didn’t want to admit it.

“I’m out there trying to give it all I have and playing as hard as I could offensively and defensively,’’ Harris said. “I’m just trying to play hard.

“Everybody’s at the same point of the season. You can’t really use being tired or being worn down as an excuse. I’m trying to push through it and keep working and everything will get better.’‘

But if he didn’t acknowledge the obvious, his coach was more than willing. Harris, clearly tuckered out by the end of today’s 33-minute run, made only two of 11 shots from the floor and finished with his second straight seven-point performance. Since scoring 24 points in the heart-breaking 74-73 loss to Miami on Feb. 9, Harris is averaging only 5.6 points over the last five games.

“He’s had a couple of uncharacteristically bad games, and he’s had good looks,’’ Coach Jeff Bzdelik said. “It’s just that he’s had to play a lot of minutes handling the ball. You know we need him in there.’‘

Harris, coming into today, ranked seventh in the ACC with 32.7 minutes per game. It bears noting that the five players who have played the most minutes this season, Malcolm Delaney, Kyle Singler, Demontez Stitt and Nolan Smith, are all seniors and Reggie Jackson is a junior. Durand Scott, who has played slightly more than Harris with 33.1 minutes a game, is a sophomore. In time both Harris and Scott will get physically stronger and more experienced at pacing themselves through a grueling 35-minute stint.

With J.T. Terrell, limited to 17 minutes by foul trouble, managing only nine points, Travis McKie making only two of nine shots for five points and Tony Chennault making only one of seven for two points, the Deacons needed more production from Harris to have any shot at an upset today. He tried. He tried hard. But he just didn’t have it.

The only bright spot was the play of junior transfer Nikita Mescheriakov, who contributed 11 points and four rebounds in season-high 26 minutes. His key statistic might have been just two turmovers.

“I think Nikita is another young player,’’ Bzdelik said. “Even though he’s a junior he doesn’t have that much experience.

“I think he’s becoming more comfortable out there, controlling himself. I thought he played under control and he really battled and competed in a more controlled way. So he’s gaining experience and I thought he did a really nice job for us.’‘

Friday, February 25, 2011

Monday’s Practice Open to the Public

For years now I’ve lorded it over everybody how I get to attend basketball practices at Wake. Come Monday, if you’re so inclined, you can be equally privileged.

Monday’s practice, scheduled to start at 3:30 at Joel Coliseum, will be open to the public.

Steve Shutt, Wake’s crackerjack media relations director, caught me on my cell as I was tooling my way home with the news, which I wanted to share a soon as possible. So luckily enough I found my way to the West Carolina Internet Cafe in lovely downtown Dillsboro (if Dillsboro has a downtown, this would be it) to order a fine cup of coffee and boot up. If you’re reading this Joe, I’ll make it to Franklin in about a half-hour.

I first heard that Jeff Bzdelik was considering opening one practice a couple of weeks ago and I told him I thought it was a great idea. I’ve been impressed by the pace, organization and amount of information being imparted at every college practice I’ve been to.  And as, you may have heard by now,  Bzdelik runs a great practice.

Obviously the decision was made to help abate some of the criticism that has rocked Bzdelik and Athletics Director Ron Wellman during this season of discontent. But whatever the motive, I do think anyone who attends will find it well worth their time.

Maybe I’ll see you there.

A Little Time with Travis McKie

Headed home today to Franklin to hang out with my brother Joe and his family before snaking down through North Georgia and Northwest South Carolina into Clemson tomorrow for the game at Littlejohn. Always a great trip back in time.

But before I point my bumper west and step on the gas, I wanted to leave you with a few left-overs from the feature that will run on Travis McKie in tomorrow’s Journal. I hope you check it out.

McKie is one of the most impressive freshmen I’ve ever seen show up at Wake, both on the court and off. If he continues to progress at the rate we’ve seen this season, I’m convinced he’ll get plenty of consideration for first-team All-ACC before he’s out of here. He’ll get extra credit with the media because he’s already one of the most articulate and analytical players in the league. We talked about that and other matters, and here’s a couple of the questions and responses that didn’t make my story.

MTOW: What parts of you game do you feel you need to sand down before making a transition from power forward to wing forward?

TM: Offensively I need to work on my ball-handling. That’s one of the main things. My shooting has been subpar, mediocre at this point. It needs to get better. My lateral quickness – I’m not as quick as I need to be to guard the three, or switch one to three and guard the point guard as well. Also get stronger. I gained 10 to 20 pounds when I got here. I need to gain some more. It’s going to be a big off-season for me, and for everybody on this team. I think when people see me in summer school and in summer league in July I’ll be a much different player.

MTOW: You’re so comfortable around the media. Is that something that just came natural for you?

TM: I pretty much got used to it in high school. My Mom’s is a teacher, so I’ve always been an outspoken person. That’s how I was raised. So I got used to it in high school and AAU, so this is pretty much second nature to me.

MTOW: Do you expect to remain at Wake for four years?

TM: Pretty much. The NBA is the NBA. I’ve got a lot of work to get there. I don’t even think anybody on our team is NBA ready at this point. I think as far of the NBA goes, a lot of people just take potential. But you’ve got to have the productivity. But I know in my mind and heart I’m not an NBA player right now. I have a lot of work to do before I can even think about that. So I’m not going to say I’m going to stay four years. If the opportunity exists I’m definitely going to look at it. But as of right now I’m definitely not ready. A four-year player, there’s nothing wrong with being a four-year guy. Jimmy Fredette is a four-year guy. E’Twaun Moore and JuJuan Johnson of Purdue. Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler. Those are great players and they’re four-year guys. I think people out there, people in the media and people in the public are putting it out there that if you’re one-and-done, you’re the best. It’s a process. You just can’t jump into it. That’s one thing I learned. You can’t throw around the word NBA like it’s so easy to get into, because it’s not.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Outside the Curtain Looking In

To paraphrase my all-time musical hero, Hank Williams, If the Good Lord’s willing and the creek don’t rise I’ll be covering Wake basketball next season.

And in that I’m not the least bit anxious to chronicle another season as bad as this one, I can only hope Jeff Bzdelik wasn’t just blowing smoke after last night’s dismal 76-62 loss to Virginia Tech. When asked about Saturday’s game at Clemson, he asserted the following:

“Right now it’s all about Virginia Tech and making sure my players understand this: We are going to be a very, very good basketball team. No doubt in my mind,’’ Bzdelik said.

I’ve always endeavored to leave myself open to the infinite possibilities of the human spirit, drive and ingenuity. I like to think I’ve been taught that by witnessing all the many things in my life that I never, ever thought I’d see. And it’s also my belief that too many people see the events going on around them as static, and they never are. Everything in life is dynamic, changing all the time—for the better or the worse.

But even by leaving my mind as open as I possibly can, I’m going to need more evidence—far more evidence—before I can share Bzdelik’s optimism. Just last night I saw a short-handed Hokies team strapped by foul problems waltz through the Deacons’ defense like it wasn’t there. And in way too many cases it wasn’t. Travis McKie said afterward it’s inexcusable for an opponent to shoot 60 percent in the second half. Virginia Tech actually shot 65 percent, only reinforcing McKie’s point.

The Hokies also bulled the Deacons around, winning the battle of the boards 35-23 and scoring 16 points off the offensive boards.

So my question in the post-game was, in that these are areas the Deacons have been working on all season, how concerning is it to see an opponent score as freely and rebound as frequently in the 28th game of the season?

“Most young teams don’t defend very well. It’s all new to them,’’ Bzdelik said. “But we’re not a young team anymore because we’ve played 28 games. We’ll continue to work at it, plain and simple. What else can I tell you?

“You’ve got to be able to guard the ball. All five guys have got to be moving at once. I’m sure people don’t think I know a lick about defense or even teach it. Probably they just think I roll out the gosh-darn basketball. We work on it.’‘

Suzy Stark of News 14 Carolina asked Bzdelik if he felt the Deacons were a better team than they were on Jan. 15, when Wake lost 94-65 in Blacksburg.

“Yes,’’ Bzdelik said. “We’re a better basketball team. There’ no question about it. Is it reflective in the scores, reflected in winning and losing? Yes and no.

“But we’re a better basketball team for a variety of reasons. No. 1 we’re maturing off the court. I see signs of maturing on the court. That’s a positive thing. People don’t see that aspect of it. It will help us in the future as we create the culture that we want here. Is it reflected in the play? Yes. I thought we saw some players do some things today that we hadn’t seen. They’re learning. They’re growing. Unfortunately so is the competition.

“Everything is different. Are we different than we were in November? Yes we are. Are we different now than we were in December? Yes we are. But also the competition is different too. But there’s growth. There’s positive growth, and lot of growth that people don’t see because they don’t see behind the curtain.’‘

Wake doesn’t let me completely behind the curtain, but by attending practices I can get a peek. And I have seen signs of growth as well. J.T. Terrell is a much different and better player than he was in December, in that he’s beginning to understand the team concept. McKie continues to grow and develop, to the extent I really believe that with a couple of years of maturity and experience he can be a first-team All-ACC player. Though Tony Chennault’s play has been ragged since he returned from his broken foot, and his jumper is flat and slow off his hands, I do love his heart and his courage. And if I were a college basketball coach I’d want as many players like C.J. Harris as I could get.

But I really don’t know how that translates into how good the Deacons will be next year. All year I’ve watched the Deacons work diligently on defense in practice, and then turn around and make Joel Coliseum the path of least resistance in the ACC. I talked with Harris about that after the game, about how can a team take what they learn in practice and use it to win a game.

“We work on it,’’ Harris said. “But you have to have the mindset to go out and do it when the lights are on. We’ve just got to play D.

“We’ve just got to keep going harder and going harder. And if we keep playing harder in practice we’ll play hard in the games.’‘

I’m looking for reasons to believe Bzdelik and Harris. I’m looking really hard, and wouldn’t mind seeing it between now and the final game in the ACC Tournament. But last night all I saw was the same old same old.

And it is getting really old.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Wanted: At Least One Wide Body

Here Little Rascals is the image I can’t get away from whenever I think of the Wake basketball season. The Deacons are this year’s ACC Alfalfa.

When you have no big guy big enough to stand up physically to the other team’s big guy, you’re going to lose often and lose bad. There’s an inevitability to it, like that of a baseball team taking the field without a pitcher capable of getting anybody out or a hockey team without a goalie capable of stopping a shot. My own humble opinion is that Wake could play State 10 times this year, and if Tracy Smith’s knees were rested and fully functional for every game, then the Wolfpack would win at least eight or nine, if not all 10. And that’s not because the Pack is that much better at every position on the court, it’s because they have an essential element to any successful basketball team that Wake doesn’t.

I was never the biggest Tony Woods fan. He was/is severely limited offensively. But he would have provided the physical presence in the post the Deacons are missing in the worst way. His departure before the season started pretty much doomed the Deacons to many of the performances we’ve watched unfold.

But what’s most ominous for Wake is that, at present, I don’t see next year being that much different. I do like Carson Desrosier’s attitude, and I like his floor vision and his touch on that fall-away in the lane. Coach Jeff Bzdelik said as soon as the season’s over, Desrosiers will devote himself to the weight room to add bulk and muscle. He desperately needs to. Even with a stronger Desrosiers, the Deacons will still be giving away size and strength inside unless a) Melvin Tabb makes his way back into the good graces of the coaching staff and returns next season stronger and more on board with the program, b) Bzdelik somehow lands another big body on the recruiting trail. I’ve given up hope that Ty Walker, at least physically, will ever be anything more than what we’ve seen for three years.

The Deacons have a commitment from Daniel Green. I’ve heard he’s a tough kid with a background in martial arts, but given he’s listed at 6-10, 210 pounds you’ve got to hope he spends as much time this summer in the weight room at Desrosiers. Wake apparently is also still vying for * Eric Katenda and Lekan Ajayi as well. Ajayi doesn’t have the credentials of Katenda, but at 6-10, 240-pounds he does better fill the need for a wide body.

Another move would be to go the junior college route, which, as I read the situation, might require the school to relax some standards imposed since Sean Allen showed up from Anderson Junior College in 1995. No I haven’t forgotten Konner Tucker, but his status was different in that he was fully qualified coming out of high school and went the Juco route in hopes of gussying up his offer sheet.

With one wide body—somebody like a Rafael Vidauretta—and a stronger, more physically developed Desrosiers, then the challenge of playing Wake would be decidedly different next year. Without both, then the only thing I see in store is more of the same.

*Thanks to reader Jon for pointing out that Desmond Hubert has pretty much eliminated Wake. Baltimore Sun The proper edit has been made.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Lessons in Defeat

On Friday, Jeff Bzdelik said a loss is only a loss if you don’t learn anything from it.

So what, I asked Ari Stewart today, did the Deacons learn from their 84-66 home loss to Florida State?

“It’s the same story all year,’’ Stewart said. “One half is great, the second is. . . Whether it’s the first half or the second half. It’s got to be a complete 40 minutes. You have to put 40 minutes together.

“We’ve been through these wars last year. It’s frustrating to Gary (Clark) and C.J. (Harris) and myself and people who were here last year and played those games. We know what it takes to win those big games. You’re tired the whole game because you’re not taking a break. If you ever catch yourself in a game and you’re not winded then you’re not playing hard enough.

“We’re going to be good. I promise you that.’‘

Stewart’s prophesy will be proven true only when the most immature team I’ve ever seen play for Wake—I’m talking physically and emotionally—grows up. And this is not to absolve Bzdelik and his staff of the need to help his team grow up. Because until the Deacons do, they’re going to keep having the same stretches of lackluster, uninspired play that has gotten them beat time and time again this season.

Today they showed up for the first half, and took the second off. Considering it’s Feb. 19 and the Deacons were playing their 27th game of the season, their lack of energy and effort in the second half was truly incomprehensible.

Bzdelik apparently felt the same way.

“Just two totally different halves, plain and simple,’’ Bzdelik said. “What happened between the first half and the second half was a mystery to me, to be quite frank. Did we exhale? But it sure looked like it and we came out very lethargic for whatever reason, and we let them jump on us. We never recovered.

“And we need to grow up in that regard.’‘

Equally incomprehensible was how a player who has tested his coaches patience for almost three years now can keep giving his coaches reasons to question his commitment and desire. Bzdelik said after the game that a player had arrived late for this morning’s practice.

“We had a player 25 minutes late for shoot-around this morning,’’ Bzdelik said. “A significant player. How can your mind be in it? We need everybody. And that player played like that today. He didn’t start.

“But my point is that we can’t have people missing in action at any time, even throughout the course of the game. And that’s maturity, and we’ll get that. We’ll understand that. It’s painful right now because we’re learning the hard way.’‘

Bzdelik didn’t identify the offending party, but the game had been over for less than an hour by the time everyone in the bowels of Joel Coliseum knew it was Ty Walker. Word I got was that Bzdelik, until this morning, had decided to start Walker over Carson Desrosiers at center.

Walker played 17 minutes off the bench, didn’t score, pulled down three rebounds, committed two turnovers and blocked two shots.  The fact we’ve come to expect more is to his credit in that he has worked harder than I’ve ever seen him work to become an effective college player. The fact that I[m writing this is evidence he remains a work in progress.

The point Dean Smith used to make was that player who is late for a team function is, in effect, telling his teammates that his time is more valuable than theirs. If 12 players can make it on time, why can’t 13?

But again, showing up late is a sign of immaturity. And immaturity, as well saw once again today, can be fatal to a basketball team.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Filling the Vacuum

After further consideration, I’m taking down the post I wrote today.

I stand by all the good things I said about Dino Gaudio and his family, and at a future time I will revisit the larger point of what consequences can occur when a decision is made that cannot be adequately and sufficiently explained.

Sorry to have troubled you.

Carry on.